Compressor-valve structure



H. E. THOMPSON COMPRESSOR VALVE STRUCTURE Fil ed Feb. 15. 1926 possible.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HARRY E. THOMPSON, 015 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 UNIVERSAL COOLER CORPORATION, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN COMPRESSOR-VALVE STRUCTURE Application filed February 15, 1926. Serial No. 88,243.

This invention relates to valves, especially valves for compressors used in domestic refrigeration. is very desirable to have the unit as quiet as To this end I have designed a compressor which is provided with a special form of adjustable valve which approximates silent operation. This is accomplished by employment of two factorsone the material of which the valves is constructed (being non-metallic) and the other the design of the valve so as to form an air and a liquid cushion between the valve and its seat. I find that both these factors contribute to the silencing of the valves and that the one co-operates with the other in achieving the final result.

Another feature of my improved valve construction is that the. same involves a unit cage which can be fastened as a unit to the cylinder head so as to be removable with this head which is ordinarily bolted between the cylinder ca and the cylinder block. This is not broa ly new, but I do beleive that this, in connection withthe double spring arrangement by which the heavy spring may be adjusted to fix the clearance in the normal valve operation, involves novelty. This will be more fully brought out in the detailed description following.

In the drawings: j

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary vertical section of the compressor showing the improved valve and valve cage.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective of' the valve.

The several parts of the compressor that are of well-known construction will not be de tailedly referred to as they are apparent from the drawings. The charge is drawn through the piston head as clearly shown, and is then compressed between the cylinder head a and the piston b. The outlet port 0 is guarded by a valve 03. This valve d is preferably constructed of a non-metallic material, such for instance, as some of the composition materials that are now on the market for making timing gears. This is usually a tough fibrous material, and I preferably use a canvas bakelite disc.

In domestic refrigeration it the valve is made of non-metallic and non-.

sonorous material it is practically noiseless for the two factors operate together to substantially eliminate any audible drumming of the valve upon its'seat.

The valve stem is designated 9 and is a separate stem and, as it will be seen, when the adjusting nut IL and the lock nut 2' have been properly adjusted there is a slight clearance j, preferably about four-thousandths of an inch. By adjusting these two nuts the amount. of this clearance is accurately fixed and can be varied to suit conditions. These nuts serve to hang the valve stem from the triangular plate is which is bolted to the reduced threaded ends of the three posts m. These posts m are riveted and then welded to the thin sheet metal cylinder head a, so as to hermetically seal them to such head. What is sometimes called a feather spring n bears directly between the plate I: and the nonmetallic valve, while a heavy coil spring 0 bears between this plate and the enlarged head of the threaded valve stem. The purpose of this double spring construction is to permit the compressed gases to easily lift the valve the slight amount of clearance that is permitted it at each stroke of the piston. However, if the clearance space above the piston fills up with liquid, then the amount of opening of the valve might be incapable of permitting the discharge of the liquid as fast as it accumulates, the result would be something would have to break under the irresistible hydraulic pressure upon such an occasion. The heavy coil spring permits the valve to exceed its normal lift and discharge valve cage, comprising a plurality of posts, a

support for the posts provided with a port, a free valve guarding said port within; said posts, a plate carried on the end of saidposts, a separate valve stem above said free valve, means for adjusting the valve stem at the end that passes through the plate, a light spring bearing between the plate and the free valve and a heavy spring bearing between the plate and the inner end of the valve stem.

2. A compressor valve, comprising a support, a cage supported thereon as a unit, said support provided with a port within said cage, a free floating disc valve within the cage guarding said port, a separate spring pressed valve stem and stop member for said valve movably supported above the valve and normally clearing the same a slight distance, means on the outside of the cage for varying the normal clearance between the end of the stem and the valve.

3. A compressor valve, comprising a support, a cage supported thereon as a unit, said support guarding said port, a separate valve stem supported above the valve a slight distance, means on the outside of the cage for varying the clearance between the end of the stem and the valve, a heavy spring bearing between the cage and the inner end of the valve stem to permit the emergency lifting of the valve and a lighter spring bearing between the cage and the valve to permit the ordinary lifting.

4. A compressor valve comprising a suport having a port, a ca ing on the support, a ree floating valve who 1y within the caging for guarding the port, an adjustable stop for the valve which limits the movement of the valve awa from the port, and a spring actrovided with a port within said cage, a rce valve wholly within the cage movement of the valve away from the port in normal operation, a spring acting on the stop member whereby said stop may recede from the port when an abnormal amount of ressure exists, said stop member being adustably carried by the caging so that the limit of movement of the valve in normal operation can be varied.

In; testimony whereof I affix my signature. HARRY E. THOMPSOR ing upon t llS stop in such a way as to permit the valve to move farther away from the port when an undesirable amount of pressure exists.

5. A compressor valve, comprising a support having a port surrounded by a valve seat, a valve caging on the support around the \port, a free floating valve for guarding the 'port which is guided in its movement by the caging, a stop member carried by the caging which limits the movement of the valve away from the port in normal operation, a 

